the color of the ocean
by Hitsuzen Nakagauchi
Summary: byakuya has a friend, mortal and dying... eyes color like the ocean... a secret kept for ten years


The Color of the Ocean

Byakuya couldn't believe the fact that the blunder caused by his fukutaichou's doing will land him accidentally in the realm of the mortals. He's annoyed at Renji, but his annoyance is more centered to his own self... he wasn't able to stop the accident from throwing him here. Really, you can't have the best of both world. His title as the taichou of the Sixth Division and being the head of the Kuchiki clan didn't saved him from this predicament.

"Hey Kuchiki-dono," Seresa greeted with a huff, "As always, I can find you here on weekends. So where's Senbonzakura? I brought him the set of manga I promised him last week."

Every time they meet, Byakuya could only do is to stifle the surprise he is having whenever Seresa addresses him with less formality he is not accustomed with. Something not new to him since that ryokai was the first one to address him in such way, the difference is, Ichigo addressed him in a manner unbefitting.

"Honetly, I am not still used on the fact that Shinigamis such as yourself do exists... I thought its just folklore of the elders..." Her ocean green eyes met his silver gray eyes with sincerity, "...but I do now. After that day I saw you floating around, with Senbonzakura, I thought my imagination is getting out of control."

Byakuya kept his eyes on her, trying to read the expressions radiating on her face, "But its not. So when I confirmed to myself that you found out that I can see the both of you, I gathered the courage and waved at you. And I don't know why I did that."

Then she broke into a smile, something he misses deep inside of him. He doesn't want to admit it but a spark of something warm affects him everytime she sees her. Romantic? He's sure its not. But something more/ than that.

"Your name...what does it mean?" Byakuya asked monotoned, shedding a lazy effort to be involved in a casual conversation. "It means Cherry, Sakura as it was called here in Karakura and maybe even in the place where you came from, a proof of that is Senbonzakura's name," Another sunny smile, too bright from a frail looking woman beside him...

He didn't bother to comply that he understood. Out of his usual royal habit, he took the liberty to sit on the floor beside her and stare up to the sky. Uncharacteristically him, but there are times that the boy he buried in the deepest recesses of his self explodes with the desire to defy whatever royal etiquette and vainess he always imposes his self with.

"My life is about to end, I am not afraid of dying but what I am afraid of is about the people who loves me that I am going to leave behind." Seresa starts again, but this time, her lively ocean green eyes where now merely shadowed with grief he remembers seeing on his demised wife, Hisana when she was still alive. "I am going to make them very sad and if I am half given the chance, I would not like that to happen."

She formed her hands in a heart shape and raised it above her head, "They say that the shape of happiness is like a heart, half of everything else." Then she broke it apart, "Happiness is never happiness without sadness."

Byakuya threw her a side glance, yes, he was happy before... with Hisana. But that happiness was now enveloped with sadness when he lost the one he loves the most.

"I am a mortal, my life is short. But that is never a reason for me to be afraid that i was born mortal, with a short span of time to make my life worthwhile. And meeting you has been one of the best thing that happened in my life," She fished her hand into her pocket, took his hand and placed something in it.

When he opened his palm, "Its something I made yesterday..." A miniature of Senbonzakura welcomed his gaze, "I can't say its all that I can afford but it is something I can let you bring back with you to your place." She stood up against the blinding light, her long brown hair flowing like waves of a stream against the wind.

"Kuchiki-dono?"

"Yes Seresa-san..."

She stood infront of him, stooped down, letting her hair gently glide on his face, "I never saw you smile," Byakuya couldn't hide the faint blush, "Honestly, you are handsome... extremely handsome." Her eyes dances in a mixed illumination of joy and admiration. "But of course, I am not insisting you do it now... whenever you feel like you can, so that whenever the next time is, I can tell the world that Kuchiki-dono lended me his precious smile."

"So that's what Taichou's doing every weekends, its amazing that woman could see him even though he didn't need a gigai to begin with," Renji commented, his figure and reiatsu amazingly undetected by his taichou.

The week after, like the past weekends, Byakuya again went back to their rendevouz place only to wait for a bit longer than the usual. As he survey the place, on a far end corner he saw a purple box with a letter underneath it. Not accustomed on taking things not of his owning, he somewhat ignored it and sat down on their usual spot.

When his patience is slightly running out, he stood up and was about to leave when he remembered the box and the letter. He picked it up and read the letter with a hesitation so foreign to him.

Kuchiki-dono,

I want to tell you a secret. I kept it with me for a long time. Remember the little girl whom you gave permission to let her small, nimble hand stroke your silky raven hair? It was almost ten years ago and that was me.

I hope next time we meet, I'll be able to see you smile.

Thank you for granting my wish of visiting me every weekend so that I could have someone extraordinary like you as a friend.

Life is full of surprises and that surprise is you.

I am sorry if my departure is unnoticed, hope you understand. I made you wait. Thank you for letting me be near you.

Thank you for the friendship.

Till we meet, Seresa.

Byakuya opened the box and saw an intricated wristband. He looked out towards the setting sun and smiled. "May you rest in peace, my friend..."

"Kuchiki-sama, this way please." As the clan leader, one of his responsibilities is to give each newborn baby in their clan a name before it is presented to others.

Inside the room, everyone bowed and didn't dare to raise their heads until he sat down on the royal chair reserved for his arrival. One of the ladies handed the silk wrapped bundle into his arms and retreated softly.

The baby opened its eyes, a clear shade of shining ocean green eyes stares back at him, its soft pinkish hand trying to reach his face. A surge of inner unknown warmth spread across his chest as the baby kept its eyes on him, staring back against his own gray ones.

"Seresa," He suddenly said, "This baby's name is Seresa..."

He reached out a finger to the baby's nimble hand, touching its supple skin. The little one grabbed one of his fingers, strong yet gentle... a small smile lit up his face, no one saw only the baby in his arms.

"Welcome to my world, Seresa... You will now become a Kuchiki, just like me." He placed the band on the baby's wrist, "I believe this is yours."

end.

a/n: first bleach, particularly byakuya fic =) a random one I came up with... well after reading out few good byakuka fics here, to learn more about him...

I don't intend this to be a romantic fic since I am a ByakuyaxRukia fan... its just I want to take a shot after a long absence from writing...

re-edited, saa, drabble I guess...


End file.
